Method and mechanism for unfolding, refolding, setting up, and transporting tubular cartons in spaced relationship



- Filed Feb. 13, 1952 March 9, 1954 F JOHENNING ETAL 71,38

' METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR UNFOLDING, REFOLDING, SETTING UP, ANDTRANSPORTING ULAR CARTONS IN SPACED RELA NSHIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1.22/2)enters Patented Mar. 9, 1954 METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR UNFOLD- ING,REFOLDING, SETTING TUBULAR- CART ONS IN TRAN SPORTIN G UP, AND

SPACED RELATIONSHIP Franz Johenning and Otto Baums, Dusseldorf,

Germany, assignors of one-half to Jagenberg- Werke Akt.-Gcs.,Dusseldorf, Germany Application February 13, 1952, Serial No. 271,312

19 Claims. (01. 93-53) The present invention relates to the art ofhandling tubular cartons.

More particularly the invention relates to a method and mechanism forunfolding, refolding, setting up and transporting tubular cartons inspaced relationship.

Specifically the invention relates to improved mechanism for effectingthe removal of carton blanks from a stack of blanks, manipulating thesame through a series of steps providing for unfolding the blank fromits flattened condition, refolding the blank into a reversely flattenedcondition and moving the carton to a spacing conveyor arrangement in amanner permitting the carton to automatically set itself up into anopened condition so that a series of cartons continuously move throughthe various steps embodied in the mechanism in an effective manner.

Specifically the invention relates to mechanism for spacing, unfolding,refolding, setting up and conveying tubular cartons in spacedrelationship utilizing vacuum applying heads in combination with feedrolls and conveyor means all operating in a continuous cycle.

In the art of handling cartons involving manipulation of a blank thathas been out, scored, fiattened, and glued so that the tubular carton isin flattened condition it has been known to partly or entirely removefolded cartons from the front plane of a stacker mechanism and topreliminarily open the same by suction heads in order to permit theintroduction of a mandrel or blade into the carton and by a subsequentswinging or rotating movement of the carton relative to the blade effectthe setting up of the carton. It is obvious that in such arrangement thereciprocation of the suction head in accordance with its working cycleas well as the timed and synchronized insertion of the mandrel or bladeinto the preliminarily opened carton will impose limitations upon themechanism as regards the speed of operation thereof.

A similar disadvantage as regards speed of operation is attendant inother known arrangements in which suction heads are applied to eitherside of the carton plane sinc in order to permit of the attachment ofthe suction heads to the cartons or the gripping of the cartons, theflattened carton has to be, in the known mechanisms, completely removedfrom the front face of the stacker and at least one of the suction headsmust perform a reciprocating movement according to the direction ofopening movement of the carton.

Additionally it has been proposed, in mechanisms of this character whichutilize only one suction head, to control the motion of the head in sucha fashion that the vacuum cup contacts, at the end of a determinedcurved path, the ront surface of the stacker and withdraws from thelatter after the removal of a carton along a path of another curve. Thisknown mechanism in addition to necessitating a plurality of parts forcontrolling the movement of the suction head so that the change ofdirection of motion of the same is efiected is also limited in itsefficiency and does not insure an effective removal and unfolding of thecarton.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide mechanismfor handling and manipulating cartons to effect removal of a fiattenedblank from a stacker and manipulate the same through stages until thecartons are set up and conveyed away in spaced relationship which iseffective as regards the movement of the carton through the successivestages of removal from the stack and the unfolding, and includes arefolding and automatic setting up, incorporated with the simultaneousarrangement of the set up cartons in spaced relationship on a conveyorfor removal and subsequent handling.

It is a specific object to provide mechanism of the aforementionedcharacter which operates in a continuous cycle, eliminates the necessityof complex controls and is effective in all stages of its operation soas to accelerate the Working cycle and thereby handle more cartons in agiven period Of time.

Specifically the present invention has for an object to providemechanism that partially re- 0 moves the foremost flattened carton blankfrom the front face of the stacker to move the same into the sphere ofaction of continuously circulating vacuum heads which attack or graspthe blank from opposite sides of its flattened plane to effectivelyunfold or open the carton and so controlling the action of the suctionheads that the grip on one side of the plane is released while it ismaintained on the opposite plane and in the continuous circulation ofthe open carton the same is refolded in a reverse flattened conditionand positively fed to a continuously circulating conveyor mechanism insuch fashion that the carton is automatically set up and arranged inspaced relationship on the conveyor for removal for subsequent handlingor processing.

It is a more specific object to provide mechanism which moves thesuction heads that effect the unfolding, assist in the refolding andreflattening of the carton in its opposite flattened condition in aclosed circulating path in such manner that there is no necessity tochange the direction of motion of the suction head.

It is an additional object to provide mechanism which not onlyeffectively removes the front carton blank from the stacker but alsopositively insures the unfolding of the carton by grasping the same onopposite sides of the plane of the flattened carton.

It is a further and more. specific object to provide in combination withthe continuously circulating suction heads an arrangementoficontinuouslyrotating feed rolls cooperating there with which permit of a quickercycle of operation and therefore substantial improvement in the overallefficiency of the various stages of manipulating the carton blankbetween its'fiat tened condition and its ultimate arrangement set upspaced relationship and thereby substantially improving the eiflciencyof this-carton handling operation.

It is an additional more specific object tocprovidein' combination withthe feed rolls anda'suce tion heads an ejector mechanism whichcooperates with the rear of each' blank in ltSI'll-E- flattenedcondition to positively @SSiSlZjlihBilllUi/E ment of the blank in itscycle ofmovement be tween the unfolding and refolding means'and theconveyor which retransports' the set up-caw ton for subsequentprocessing.

Further and more specific objects'will betapparent from the followingdescription of the' invene tion taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1.illustrates the invention diagrammaticalIy and is' a top planview partly in section.

Figure 2 illustrates onan enlargedv scale: the suction members in theposition assumed during the unfolding operation.

Figure 3 is a similar view but illustrating: the suction heads at thestage when a cartontblank is substantially unfolded;

Figure 4 illustrates the invention partlyinsection and with particular"reference to" the position of the suction heads andthe ejector mechanismduring the delivery of the 'reflattened carton tothe conveyor mechanism;and

Figure 5 is a partial view in top planillustratinga modification of theejectormeans cooperating with the stacker for assisting the removal ofthe flattened blanks from the stack;

Figure 6 isa sectionalside view'of Fig. 1' inasmuch as it is indicatedby line 6-6.

As illustrated in the drawings the tubular flattened carton blanks arearranged in a stack in a stacker mechanism andthe' ejector or pushermember 3 reciprocating in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1abuts the'rear folded 'edge of the front blank 2 and removes same fromthe front face of the stacker a distance sufficient so that the frontfolded edge passes into the bight between the pair of feed rolls 4 and 5disposed immediately adiacentthe stacker mechanism I. As indicated inthe. drawings. the plane of reciprocation of the ejector member '3 liesin the plane substantially coinciding with the plane of the front faceof the stacker and which plane also passes through the plane of contactof the feed rolls 4 and-5'. The feed rolls 4 and 5 are arranged onopposite sides-of the planeof the front face of the stacker and are sodimensioned and timed that as ejector pushes the carton partially off.of the stack it .is gripped by these rolls and: then subsequentmovementof the blank until it is fully removed from 4 the stack iseffected by the rolls and suction heads associated therewith.

As illustrated in Figure 5 the ejector member can constitute feedingpins 3 arranged on a continuously circulating chain belt or the like Theparticular; carton illustrated is of the type which includes oppositeshort sides and opposite long sides, in other words the type that hasnarrow end faces and wide front and rear faces. The-'feed roll 1 isvprovided in the embodiment shownwiththree circumferentially spacedsuction heads or vacuum cups 6 communicating with the periphery of theroll. The space he tweeni'the heads issuch that the perimeter of theroll' 4 between the heads cooperates with the perimeter of the roll 5 incompletely removing the-blank from. the stack and moving the samedownwardly as viewed in the drawings a distance such that by the timethe suction head is horizontal as shown in Figure 1 it is adjacent thenarrow side of the carton. As illustrated the suction heads are incommunication with the suction conduit 9- arranged in a stationary axle8 during the interval. between their horizontal movement whenthe headsare adjacent the stacker through an arc of movement to the right ofFigure l of approximately 120 so that during this swinging motion thenarrow face or surface A of each carton will be grasped by one of thesuction heads 6 on the roll 4. Each suction head of course is incommunication through a conduit 1. with the suction conduit 9 in theaxle or shaft during this particular are of move ment.

As the carton blank is removed from the stack and passedbetween therollsiand 5 it is moved into the sphere of action of the second, likewisecontinuously rotating suction head IQ. This suction head Id nearlycontacts the swing cycle ofthe suction. head 5, and is similarlyprovided. witha-suction-conduit l2 likewise stationary and by-means ofthe channel I! is in communication with the nozzle or head during adetermined portion of its path of rotation which. as shown, is during anapproximate movement of the head inmoving from right to left in thedirection of the arrow. The suction head It grasps the flattened cartonat its bread or wide surface or face B, that is adjacent the narrowsurface or face A grasped by the head ii. As is apparent fromthe-relationship of Figure 1 the two heads'seize the carton on oppositesides of its' folded plane but grasp adjacent sides when consideringthecartonias set up.

The carton thus grasped on either side of its plane by the-heade E" andill will be positively opened as isapparent from Figure 2 during thesubsequent rotating motion of the heads in theirmovementrawayfronroneanother. The suction headi0-is-.-provided:with anozzle l9 which is swiveledl with :respect to the head Iii-so that itcan adapt itself to the particular position of thecartonsurface-zgrasped-byit-.. ltisthusapparent that. :inpthecontinuedmovementirof .the heads- 6 and loraway-ifromone-another.thecartonrblank2 is unfolded almost completely. 'As this move, ment continues thechannel I l passes out of communication with the suction conduit l2 sothat the gripping action of the nozzle H3 ceases and the carton is.merely retained in the grasp-of the suction headfi as shown inFigure 3.Continued rotation of. the roll or drum. 42 carries the unfolded cartonforward: until the broad surface C abuts a switch or abutment plate I3.Since the face A is still grasped by the suction head 6 the continuedmovement of the roll or drum 4 causes the carton to be refolded betweenthe abutment I3 and the perimeter of the roll 4 and this refolding is inthe opposite. direction as compared with the direction of fold of theplane in the stacker I. As indicated the switch I3 is disposedtangentially with respect to the circulating path of move ment of thesuction head 6. As is clear from Figure l the refolded carton blank isgripped by the head 5 until the leading folded edge thereof, as regardsits direction of motion, is gripped between the conveying roll I4 andthe feed roll or cylinder 4. The suction head 6 now has swung through anarc such that the suction conduit or channel I is no longer incommunication with the channel 9 so that the carton is no longer graspedby the suction heads and it is no longer positively held against theface of the cylinder 4 so that the conveying roll I4 continues themovement of the reflattened blank in a direction toward the continuouslycirculating chain conveyor noted at I 5. As indicated this conveyor isprovided with spacer means I5.

In order to insure the effective delivery of the cartons to the conveyormechanism I5 the feed cylinder t is provided with a plurality of radialfeed pins I5 as shown in Figure 4. Each pin, in the particular examplethere being a number corresponding to the number of suction heads, islocated between a pair of suction heads a distance such that, as isapparent from Figures 1 and 2, when the suction head 6 holding thenarrow face of the carton is about to pass out of communication with itssuction conduit I the feed pin I6 is adjacent the rear folded edge or"the refolded blank. Each pin I6 is provided with a nose which engagesthis rear folded edge and the several pins are each normally urgedinwardly of the periphery of roll or cylinder 4 by springs I'I acting onplunger heads on the inner end of the pins which plunger heads ride incontact with an eccentric head or cam I8 which is likewise stationary sothat as the cylinder 4 rotates the pins I6 are projected against theaction of springs IT as they reach the position assumed in Figure 2 sothat the nose or edge thereof in continued movement of the feed cylindergrasps the rear folded edge of the reflattened blank and positivelyejects the same from between the rolls i and I4 along the rear or upwardportion of the switch plate I3 and feeds the cartons between two of thespacer elements I5 on the continuously circulating conveyor mechanismI5. The arrangement is such that the carton which had been flattened inan opposite condition between the rolls I 4 and 4 when ejected frombetween these rolls in its action to resume its original flattenedcondition automatically sets itself up or reopens so that by the time itis grasped between the two spacing devices on the conveyor chain it isfully set up for conveyance to subsequent processing. A guide plate I5"cooperates with the conveyor to retain the cartons in set up spacedcondition during their subseqquent movement.

It is thereby clear that the present invention provides for applyingmovement to one folded edge of a flattened blank to partially eject thesame from a stack and project the same a distance such that it will begrasped between cooperating rolls which continue the ejecting movementand remove the flattened blank from the stack and in the removal thereofthe narrow face of the carton, on the front side of the plane of theflattened blank in relation to the direction of feed, is grasped by oneof the suction heads or cups 6 so that this face is held against theperiphery of the feed cylinder 4 and as the opposite end of the cartonblank'is projected beyond the rolls 4 and 5, the universally mountednozzle head I8 of the continuously rotating suction head I9 comes intocontact with and grasps the rear broad or wide face B of the carton onthe rear side of the plane of the flattened blank, that is the face whenconsidering the flattened plane of the carton blank opposite to the facegrasped by the head 6 so that the continued movement of the heads 6 andIII away from one another positively unfolds the blank until it is fullyunfolded. Immediately prior to the blank assuming its fully unfoldedcondition, the suction to the head I0 is cut off so that the carton isonly retained by the head 6 and the broad face 0 of the carton oppositeto that previously grasped by the head III abuts a switch blade or platewhile the carton is still grasped at its narrow face. The continuedcirculating movement of the head grasping the carton effects a refoldingand reflattening of the blank in the opposite direction, first of allbetween the switch plate and the feed roll and subsequently between thefeed roll I4 and an additional feed or conveying roll located adjacentthe periphery of the feed roll 4 with its axis disposed approximately atthe point where the arc of movement of the head 6 reaches when suctionis out off to this head so that the reflattened carton is moved betweenthe rolls I-4 and 4. In order to effectively eject the carton frombetween these rolls, ejector mechanism including radial projectablepins' located in alternate relationship with the suction head 6 andcooperating with a cam means abuts the rear folded edge of each of thereflattened cartons and ejects the same into the path of movement of thespacing devices on the conveyor mechanism so that the carton when itleaves the sphere of action of the rolls I4 and 4 is automatically setup by its effort to resume its original flattened condition.

In connection with the mechanism illustrated it is of course to beunderstood that the stacker I is provided with a conventional stackadvancer which feeds the stack of flattened blanks so that each outer orend blank is successively partially removed by the movement of thepusher member 3.

Likewise it is to be pointed out that the continuously circulatingconveyor I5 is so arranged with relation to the spacing between thespacer elements I5 and the distance between the surface of the conveyorI5 and the perimeter of the feed cylinder 4 is such as to be at leastslightly in excess of the thickness of a completely set up cartonwhereby the blanks that have been reversely reflattened and are ejectedfrom between the cylinder 4 and the roll It can automatically setthemselves up into open condition in the movement between the cylinder 4and the adjacent surface of the conveyor l5 between the spacer elementsI5.

It is further apparent that while the present embodiment has beendescribed and illustrated with relation to mechanism in which the axisof the cylinder and various rolls and the rotating head It are vertical,the invention is likewise susceptible to reduction to practice when thevarious axes are disposed horizontally. In other words the drawingsillustrate top views but the invention can be effected in a manner suchthat the various mechanisms illustrated in top plan view in the drawingsare arranged in such fashion 7- that. the appearances. thereof. as shownin the drawings, would'be: thesame' butthe views" would becorrespondingside views.v

Having now described an embodiment of the invention, what is. desired tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1.. In mechanism for removing folded and fiattened tubular carton blanksfrom a stack and unfolding, refolding, setting up or squaring andconveying the same, the combination of means for. partially removing theend blank from a stack and at least, one continuously rotating suctionhead disposed on each of the opposite sides of the plane of'movement ofthe blank for grasping the blank on opposite sides of said plane, thehead onone side continuously rotating reversely as regards thecontinuous rotation of the head onthe opposite side whereby the heads inmoving away from one another unfold the blank while bothheads aremoving. I

2. In mechanism as defined in and by claim 1, and means controlling theapplication of suction to saidheads whereby suction is efiective duringpart=of the rotation of the heads and said means shutting offapplication of suction to one head prior to the. cessation ofapplication of suction to the other. head.

3. In mechanism-for removing folded and flattened tubular carton blanksfrom a stack and unfolding, refolding, setting up and conveying therebyat least. partially removing the same from thestack. atleast onecontinuously rotatable suction head rotatable aboutan axis in front ofthe plane of' movement of the partially removed blankand rotatable in adirection toward said blank, means controlling the application ofsuction to said/head. so that suction is operative during part of therotation of the head so that the head grasps the blank on the frontthereof ad-jacentsaid edge,,at least one continuously rotatable suctionhead rotatable about an axis disposed to the rear of said plane ofmovement and located in advance of the axis of said first mentioned headas regards the path of movement of the blank, said second mentioned headbeing rotatable in a direction toward said blank, and

means controlling suction applied through said second mentionedhead sothat suction is operative during part of the rotation of said secondmentioned head so that the same grasps the blank on the rear thereof atan area in advance of the area grasped by saidfirst mentioned headwhereby said heads in continuously moving away from one another. unfoldthe blank.

4. In mechanismfor removing folded and flattened tubular carton blanksfrom a stack and unfolding, refolding, setting up and conveying thesame, the combination of means movable transversely of the axis. of'the;stack and engageable with an edge of the endblank of "the stack forpushing thesame. laterally of the stack and thereby at least partiallyremoving the same from the stack, at' least one continuously rotatablesuction head rotatable about an axis in front of the plane of movementof the partially removed blank and rotatable in a direction toward said.blank, means controlling the application of suction: to said head sothatsuction is operative during part-.- of the. rotation. ofthehead sothat .the. head grasps the blank on the front thereof adjacent: saidedge, atleast one" continuously rotatable suction head rotatable aboutan axis disposed-to the'rear of said plane of movement and located inadvance of the axis of said first mentioned head as regards the path ofmovement of the blank, said second mentioned head being rotatable in adirection toward said blank, means controlling suction applied throughsaid second mentioned head so that suction is operative duringpart ofthe rotation of said second mentioned head so that the same grasps theblank on the rear thereof at an area in advance of the area grasped bysaid first mentioned head whereby said heads in continuously moving awayfrom one another'unfold the blank, and wherein said heads continuouslyrotate in closed paths without changing the direction of motion and saidmeans for controlling the application of suction to said headsincludesmeans individually controlling the application of suction to therespective heads operative to cut off suction to said second mentionedhead prior to cutting off suction to said first mentioned head so thatsaid first mentioned head holds and moves said unfolded carton, andmeans in the path of movement of said unfolded carton engageabletherewith and cooperable with said head to reversely refold andrefiatten said carton into a reversely folded blank.

5. Mechanism. as defined in and by claim 4 whereinsaid last mentionedmeans also includes a continuously rotatable roll for feeding saidreversely folded blank.

6. Mechanism as' defined in and by claim 5 wherein a continuouslymovable conveyor is located in advance of said roll and spaced therefroma distance at least slightly in excess of the thickness of a set upcarton whereby said reversely folded blank automatically sets itself upin passing from said roll to said conveyor.

'7. Mechanism for removing folded and fiattened tubular carton blanksfrom a stack and unfolding, refolding, setting up and conveying thesame, including means confining a plurality of folded and flattenedtubular carton blanks in a stack, means movable transversely to the axisof the stack and successively engageable with an edge of the successiveend blanks of the stack for successively moving each of the samelaterally of the stack thereby at least partially removing each blankfrom the stack, a feed cylinder and a counter-roll each located on anopposite side of theplane of movement of the blank being removed andeach continuously rotating toward the blank, said cylinder andcounter-roll receiving the partially ejected removed blank andcontinuing' the removal thereof from the stack, said feed rollincorporating suction heads and means controlling application of suctionto said heads during at least that part of the rotation of the headswhen each of the same reaches a position immediately adjacent said edgeof the blanks being removed so that the heads are effective to grasp oneside of each successive carton blank while-the same is in flattenedcondition and continuethe movement thereof, another suction head mountedfor continuous rotation about an axis in alignment with the axis of thecounterroll and said second mentioned head being located in advance ofthe path of movement of the blank being removed whereby the same graspsthe blank on the side opposite to that grasped by the first mentionedhead, means controlling the'suction applied through said second headduring only a part of itsrotational movementwhereby as -the heads rotatewith the blank grasped thereby from opposite sides the movegems 9 mentof the heads away from one another effects an unfolding of the blank.

8. A mechanism as defined in and by claim 'I in which at least one ofsaid suction heads is provided with a movable nozzle operative to adaptitself to the momentary position of the carton face being engagedthereby.

9. A mechanism as defined in and by claim 7 in which the meanscontrolling the suction applied through all said heads is operative sothat suction is applied to said first mentioned heads during a longerare of rotation than the arc of rotation passed through by said secondmentioned head with the suction applied whereby said second. mentionedhead is released from engagement with said carton just prior tocompletion of the unfolding thereof.

10. A mechanism as defined in and by claim 9, and a stationary switchplate disposed in advance of the path of movement of the unfolded cartonand engageable With the face thereof opposite to that grasped andreleased by said second mentioned head whereby said first mentionedheads in continuing the movement of the successive cartons will refoldthe same in a reversely flattened condition between said cylinder andsaid switch plate.

11. A mechanism as defined in and by claim 10, and a feed rollcontinuously rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of saidcylinder and located so that the periphery of said roll cooperates withsaid cylinder in grasping said reflattened blank, said means controllingthe suction applied to said first mentioned head cutting off suctionwhen said head has reached a position immediately adjacent the blankcontacting portion of said feed roll and projectable pins mountedradially within said cylinder rearwardly of said heads and cooperablewith the rear edge of said reflattened blanks when projected forpositively ejecting the same from said cylinder and feed roll and acontinuously circulating conveyor means receiving the ejected blanks,said conveying means being spaced from said cylinder and roll a distancesuch that each reversely reflattened blanks in moving from said roll tosaid conveyor automatically unfolds and sets itself up.

12. A mechanism as defined in and by claim 11 in which said cylinder isprovided with radial bores receiving each said pin, spring means withinthe bores normally urging said pins inwardly of the periphery of theroll and cam means operative against the action of said spring tosuccessively project said pins during a portion of the rotation of saidroll so that the pins when projected. contact and move the rear edge ofsuccessive reflattened blanks.

13. A mechanism as defined in and by claim 7 in which said feed cylinderand said second mentioned suction head are each mounted for rotationabout stationary hollow shafts constituting suction cups constitutingthe means controlling the suction applied through the heads constitutingan aperture in each of said shafts and conduit means movable with theheads during rotation about said shafts whereby said conduit meanscommunicate with said apertures during only a part of the rotation ofsaid heads.

14. A mechanism as defined in and by claim 7 in which the means movabletransversely to the axis of the stack for successive engagement with theedge of successive blanks constitutes a reciprocable pusher member.

15. A mechanism as defined in and by claim 'I in which the means movabletransversely of 10 the axis of the stack and successively engageablewith an edge of successive end blanks constitutes rotatable meansembodying a plurality of abutment portions each engageable with asuccessive blank.

16. A method of manipulating carton blanks comprising feeding a stack ofsuccessive flattened blanks of the type embodying opposite wide facesand opposite narrow faces and in which in flattened condition a wide andnarrow face are flattened adjacent one another on opposite front andrear sides of the plane of the flattened blank in relation to thedirection of feed, partially removing the end blank of the stack in adirection transverse to the axis of the stack, continuing the removalmovement of the end blank and grasping the narrow face of the flattenedblank on the front side of the plane containing the flattened blank,continuing the movement of the grasped blank and grasping the wide faceof the blank on the opposite rear side of the plane of the flattenedblank, and continuing the movement of the blank in an arcuate path whileretaining the grasp on the adjacent narrow and wide faces of the blankto at least substantially unfold the blank.

17. A method of manipulating carton blanks comprising feeding a stack ofsuccessive flattened blanks of the type embodying opposite wide facesand opposite narrow faces and in which in flattened condition a wide andnarrow face are flattened adjacent one another or opposite front andrear sides of the plane of the flattened blank in relation to thedirection of feed, partially removing the end blank of the stack in adirection transverse to the axis of the stack, continuing the removalmovement of the end blank and grasping the narrow face of the flattenedblank on the front side of the plane containing the flattened blank,continuing the movement of the grasped blank and grasping the wide faceof the blank on the opposite rear side of the plane of the flattenedblank, continuing the movement of the blank in an arcuate path whileretaining the grasp on the adjacent narrow and wide faces of the blankto at least substantially unfold the blank, releasing the grasp from thewide face of the blank while maintaining the narrow face grasped andcontinuing the movement of the now substantially unfolded blank, andabutting the wide face of the blank opposite to that originally graspedand removed while continuing the arcuate movement of the blank with itsnarrow face grasped to reversely refiatten the blank.

18. A continuous method of squaring collapsed or flattened carton blankscomprising feeding a stack of successive flattened blanks of the typeembodying opposite Wide faces and opposite narrow faces and in which inflattened condition a wide and narrow face are flattened adjacent oneanother or opposite front and rear sides of the plane of the flattenedblank in relation to the direction of feed, partially removing the endblank of the stack in a direction transverse to the axis of the stack,continuing the removal movement of the end blank and grasping the narrowface of the flattened blank on the front side of the plane containingthe flattened blank, continuing the movement of the grasped blank andgrasping the wide face of the blank on the opposite rear side of theplane of the flattened blank, continuing the movement of the blank in anarcuate path while retaining the grasp on the adjacent narrow and Widefaces of the blank to at least substantially unfold the blank, releasing11.1 lv :the: gras from; theawideriace zofitheizlank Whil-maintainingsthe; narrowiaoeigrasped sandman- :tinuing 2 the :movementnf:the; nowzsoubstanti lly unfolded blank, abutting the wide face,of:;.tbe 'nblank opposite :to :that aoriginally rgrasped and:removedmhile continuing; the arcuate; movement .ofrvtheblankewith itsnarrow; face graspedmorecversely reflatten the o blank, releasing". thegrasp :fnom :.the narrow: face of .the blank Whi e 00.n-

;..the;1movement41of;the reverselyrfiattened -blank :and final-1yreleasing the blank permitting -the- ;same :to automatically set itselfup into a :Ltubular. carton in its effort toresume its originalflattened condition.

119., A- continuous method of squaring collapsed :or flattenedcartonblanks comprising feeding-a w:stackofsuccessive.flattened blanks ofthe-type oe nhodying opposite wide faces and opposite -narrowifaces-andin;.which in flattened condition ,:a-iwidef.and narrow face areflattened adjacent one-another oropposite front andrear sides oflithe-plane. of the; flattened blank in relation to the :direction offeed, partially removing the end blank :.of theistackina directiontransverse to the axis of the stack, continuing the removal movement ofzthesendcblankl andigrasping-tthe narrow face of :theilattened blank.-on the front side of the plane :containing: the z-flattened 1 blank,continuing the ;movement;,of the. grasped blank and grasping the -widefacerof -the blank on the opposite rear side :that, ori i; ...;l

12 l. of the plane of the flattened blank,-=conti-nujng i hem ve nen otherhlank in-sa earcuat p .whil rretaininathei raspcntheiadiac nttnarr w.7 anidvwida-iace tc ath ;b nk-; teat leastssubstanstially unf d; thrhlan irreleasine;t l ras ztrom the wide face of the,blanhwhilemantaining the marrow iac a rasnedzand continuin 1 the-m menttof th znow 1substantial y u ded (b ank, :abntting theawid fac .o ith iblan r pp ittt v. rasn dzand:removed wh l -nonrtinuingrtheiarcuate movement:ofqthe-blankcwith its narrow face grasped" to 'reversely; refiatten: theblank, releasing the'grasp from thenarrow face of the-blank-gwhilecontinuing the :movement of the; reverselwfiattened;blank and finallyreleasing the blank permitting the; same toautomat- -ically,:-set itselfupjnto a tubular carton in its efiort to resume its original-flattenedcondition, while arranging the1successive blanks in spaced relationshipand :successively moving the setup cartons inm-utually equally spacedrelationship.

:FRANZ JOHENNING. :OTTO BAUMS.

ReferenceszCited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date "2,217,784 Bennett--- Oct.,15, 1940 v2,399,934: 'Monroe. vMay'7, l946

